A Lost Oasis, Crystal Hill, and Jello Plans Firming Up

Monday, 2/13, we went in search of a desert waterfall. The Rancherias Canyon hike was supposed to be 10 miles round-trip, terminating at a spring-fed waterfall deep in the desert. We started about 10am figuring that gave us plenty of time. However, the trail was difficult, scrambling over loose rock and boulders, through soft sand, and around desert seeps and small springs. The further we went, the less well marked the trail became. We lost sight of the trail markers and had to back-track several times. By 1pm we debated turning around but then we’d spot a trail marker and decide to go “just a little bit further”. Lol. However, by 2pm and at least 6 miles into the hike we still hadn’t found the falls. With no trail markers in sight, we weren’t sure if we hadn’t gone far enough or if the falls were dry (the area is in a drought) and we’d passed them. At any rate, our water was running low and we were mindful of the time so we headed back. I'm going with the lost oasis theory, since it couldn't have been us that was lost. Lol. It was a fun, challenging hike even without finding the falls, the scenery was fantastic and the geology of the area was fascinating. We talked to a park ranger later and we think we just hadn’t gone quite far enough. Although he did say the falls are more of trickle this time of year. Lol.  

We did find water in the dessert - just no waterfall. lol.

Spectacular scenery.

Desert Nettle is blooming.

So darn cute... but cuddly? Not so much. 

Rog on the Rancherias Canyon trail.

Natural "tanks" that hold water, at least some of the time. 

Bunny ears again! lol.

Blue skies and red rocks. 

No clearly marked trail here!

Don't see these in the PNW!  (And I'm ok with that. lol)

We also stopped at the Contrabando Creek Movie Set. Built in 1985, it has been used in nine different movies over the years. There’s just one building left, but the setting is definitely perfect for Westerns with the Rio Grande on one side and towering buttes and mesas on the other.

The cantina is the last building still standing on the movie set.  

The Rio Grande runs close to the set. 

You know how much I like rocks, so when Rog told me about a whole hillside covered is calcite crystals it was a safe bet I’d be making that hike. We set out Tuesday to do a 6-mile loop that included “Crystal Hill”. This hike was much easier, since it’s also a mountain bike trail and is clearly marked. We were walking around the perimeter of a big hill and all of sudden you round a corner and the trail cuts through an acre of glittering crystals. It’s amazing! The whole hillside is covered in loose crystals. I’m not sure how or why, but it’s a pretty clearly defined area. My self-imposed “no picking up rocks” rule is out the window. Lol. We are really having a blast looking at the different types of rocks and formations. We wish we knew more about geology – of course if we learn more, we might end up joining the ranks of rabid rock hounds. Just what we need, a hobby that involves carrying heavy rocks across miles of rugged terrain. Lol.

A whole hillside of crystals!

I confess. A few of these found their way into my pockets. Lol.

Wide open spaces.

Chisos mountains in the distance. 

Desert panorama.

After two days of hiking, we decided to make Wednesday a camp day. While there is plenty of maintenance and chores to keep us busy, we didn’t actually get much done. Some days it’s just nice just to sit and enjoy the view! Lol. To get in our steps we walked the Upper and Lower Madera campgrounds and hiked down the road a mile or so to some very interesting sandstone formations. They reminded us a lot of the hoodoos and slumps that we saw in the Badlands.  

Yeah, worth taking a day off to enjoy the view.

Cool colors in the stone....

... and awesome shapes too. 

Lupine blooming everywhere. 

The good news in our jello plans is we were able to get a reservation for Upper Madera over the weekend so it bridges the time from our existing stay to our reservation on the 20^th. Whooohooo!  We are set until we decide to try again for a spot in the National Park.